1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an weak acidic soap bar having a pearlescent pattern, a noble color sense and a high luster which is prepared by mixing a soap base composition comprising amino acid derivatives having a melting point of below 100xc2x0 C. with a coated micaceous powder, and then molding the mixture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soap bars are generally prepared by directly gelling raw material oils and fats of sodium salts of higher fatty acids or the mixture thereof with sodium hydroxide in aqueous phase and then separating the sodium salts(soap base) and glycerine by desalting or by a direct reaction of fatty acids and sodium salts. Such soap bars have a high melting point and are thus prepared by the steps of mixing raw materials, extruding and molding.
Meantime, a striation soap bar is described in Korean Patent Publication No 88-1858. This soap bar is prepared by a process in which each of the soap base materials are striation materials is extruded through two sets of pressers vertically connected to a connection head However, the soap bars thus prepared have a drawback upon actual use that since the different soap bases are integrated through the pressers, the soap bar is easily dried to result in the separation of each component in use and, therefore, the resulting soap bar cannot be effectively used.
In addition, the conventional cosmetic soap bar having a pearly appearance is prepared by mixing a soap base with glycerine, water and a powder in a specific ratio. However, since this prior art process employs the steps of simple mixing of the raw materials and extrusion of the mixture to give the soap bar with the appearance of a wood grain or a pearly pattern which results in dissolution of the soap bar and dispersion of the powder due to it""s high melting temperature of above 200xc2x0 C., this soap bar cannot afford a naturally formed luster and high quality of a soap bar. Therefore, the prior art process, which comprises simple mixing of the conventional soap bar base composition with a powder, has a drawback in providing various lusters and soap bar quality.
The present inventor has been extensively studied in order to solve the above mentioned problem and, as a result, found that a soap bar base composition prepared by employing amino acid derivatives as a base and mixing the base with a prescribed amount of saccharide such as sugar, di-glycerine, 1,3-butylene glycol, and polyols, and a minor amount of a soap powder and surfactants and then dissolving the mixture into water-lower alcohols under heating can be dissolved at a temperature of below 100xc2x0 C. and, based on this finding, has succeeded in preparing a soap bar having a pearlescent pattern which shows a naturally formed luster and a high color quality such as a pearl shampoo by mixing the base composition and a coated micaceous powder to effect maximum dispersion and molding and, has completed the present invention.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a soap bar having a naturally formed pearlescent pattern and a high luster and a noble color quality by dispersing a coated micaceous powder into the soap base composition comprising amino acid derivatives of which melting point is below 100xc2x0 C.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a soap bar having a unique pearlescent pattern, a noble color quality and a high luster prepared by mixing the soap base composition comprising amino acid derivatives with a coated micaceous powder, dissolving and molding the mixture.
The present invention provides a soap bar having a pearlescent pattern, a noble color quality and a high luster prepared from the soap base composition comprising amino acid derivatives of which melting point is below 100xc2x0 C. and a coated micaceous powder.
The soap bar according to the present invention is prepared by mixing the soap base composition comprising amino acid derivatives with a coated micaceous powder, dissolving and molding the mixture.
The term, xe2x80x9cthe soap base composition comprising amino acid derivativesxe2x80x9d used throughout the specification has no limitation as long as it has a melting point of below 100xc2x0 C. and encompasses any conventional base material for the soap bar. The amino acid derivatives which can be used in this context include, for example, TEA-cocoyl glutamate, TEA-lauroyl glutamate, TEA-stearoyl glutamate, or the mixture thereof,
As the additional components for the soap base, one or two or more of components selected from the group consisting of ethanol, 1,3-butyleneglycol, sodium palmitate, sodium laurate, di-glycerine, sorbitol, C8-C14alkylpolyglycoside(for example, cocoyl glycoside), sodium hydroxide, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium, tocopheryl acetate, urea, fragrance and water may be added to the soap base composition. In addition, sodium lauryl sulfate, polyoxyethylene sodium laurylether sulfate, dibutylhydroxytoluene, calcium hydroxide, etc., in an appropriate amount may be mixed into the soap base composition.
As a consequence of the test for various mixing ratio for the above base, it was confirmed that the preferable composition comprises 18.90xcx9c22.50% of TEA-cocoyl glutamate, 17.20xcx9c25.80% of TEA-lauroyl glutamate, 26.60xcx9c30.50%, of TEA-stearoyl glutamate, 2.00xcx9c4.50% of ethanol, 1.50xcx9c3.50% of 1,3-butyleneglycol, 1.20xcx9c3.50% of sodium palmitate, 1.00xcx9c2.60% of sodium laurate, 1.50xcx9c3.50% of di-glycerine, 1.00xcx9c3.40% of sorbitol, 0.50xcx9c2.50% of C8-C14alkylpolyglycoside, 0.12xcx9c2.80% of sodium hydroxide, 0.05xcx9c0.15% of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium, 0.05xcx9c0.15% of tocopheryl acetate, 0.05xcx9c0.15% of urea based on the weight, fragrance and water.
It is preferable that said base composition is contained in an amount of about 90xcx9c99.99% based on the weight of the raw materials for the soap bar, especially the range of about 95xcx9c99.99% being more preferable.
The term, xe2x80x9ca coated micaceous powderxe2x80x9d as used in this specification is meant by the powder in which mica is coated with, for example, titanium dioxide, and/or other component(s). More specifically, mica can be coated with titanium dioxide, and/or one or more components selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, iron oxides such as black iron oxide(ferrous-ferric oxide, Fe3O4) and red iron oxide(ferric oxide, Fe2O3), iron blue(ferric ferrocyanide), carmine, chromium oxides such as chromium oxide greens. More specifically, mica is coated, for example, with titanium dioxide, with titanium dioxide, with titanium dioxide and tin oxide, with titanium dioxide and black iron blue, with titanium dioxide and carmine, with titanium dioxide and chromium oxide, with black iron oxide, or with red iron oxide. In addition to these pigments, any component can be used for the coated micaceous powder provided that they can impart a pearlescent pattern, a high luster and a noble color quality to the soap bar. For example, the known pigment products for cosmetic or soap bars which are commercially available from the Merarl Corporation or the Merck and Co., Inc. can also be used. This additive component can be a combination of two or more components. The mixing ratio of the components within the powder has no specific limitation, however, it is preferable to use mica in an amount of below 80%, titanium dioxide in an amount of below 60%, tine oxide in an amount of below 5%, black iron oxide in an amount of below 60%, red iron oxide in an amount of below 60%, iron blue in an amount of 10%, carmine in an amount of 5%, and chromium oxides in an amount of below 20% based on the weight of the powder. It will be, however, appreciated that the above amounts are illustrated as an example only, and any combination of the ingredients in any mixing ratio is within those skilled in the art. Therefore, any combination of the ingredients in the powder is within the scope of the present invention. It is preferable to use the powder in an amount of about 0.01% to 10% based on the weight of soap bar. If the amount of the powder is below 0.01% by weight, the pearly appearance and luster of the soap bar are faded or disappear. If the amount is above 10% by weight, the soap bar will have a high luster, but is difficult for representing a variety of colour quality of the soap bar. Further, the addition of the coated micaceous powder has an additional advantage that the bubbling power and the hardness of the soap bar are increased.
The coated micaceous powder can be pre-formed according to the conventional process prior to the mixing with the soap base composition. The powder which can be used in the present invention has a particle size of about 5xcx9c500 xcexcm and various particle size distribution of the coated powder can be used in the preparation of the soap bar according to the invention. Particularly, the coated powder having a particle size of below 150 xcexcm provides excellence in aspects of the pearly luster and the colour quality of the soap bar. The most preferable particle size of the coated powder is in the range about 5 to 125 xcexcm and the soap bar prepared from the coated powder having the thus defined particle size range impart the pearly luster and noble color quality to the soap bar which is interpreted as being that the soap base composition and the coated powder are not complexed each other, but simply mixed and dispersed thereby representing the natural color quality inherent in the coated powder itself.
The soap bar according to the present invention is prepared by mixing the soap base composition comprising amino acid derivatives and the coated micaceous powder, dissolving and molding the mixture. Each process step can conveniently be carried out according to the conventional process known to the skilled in the art. Briefly, the soap bar according to the present invention can be prepared by mixing amino acid derivatives with a prescribed amount of saccharide such as sugar, di-glycerine, 1,3-butylene glycol, and polyols, and a minor amount of a soap powder and surfactants and then dissolving the mixture into water-lower alcohols under heating to give a soap bar base composition having a melting point of below 100xc2x0 C. The resulting soap base composition is then mixed with a pre-formed coated micaceous powder. After the base-powder mixture is dispersed homogeneously, the dispersant is molded after pouring it into a mold chase, cooled and hardened to prepare the soap bar. The soap bar thus prepared has a weak acidity of about pH 5.0xcx9c7.0 in 1% solution. Alternatively, the soap bar can desirably be prepared according to the process disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 1996-033520 developed by the present inventor, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
The present invention will be illustrated in greater detail by way of the following examples. The examples are presented for illustrative purpose only and should not be construed as limiting the invention, which is properly delineated in the claims.